Eric Bergeson To the east of the Phoenix metropolitan area, a rugged national forest starts within ear shot of the major streets of Apache Junction. Within a ten-minute drive, one's chief concern can change from crime to cougars.
The Superstition Wilderness is a massive, rock-strewn wasteland with only one road...
Detroit Lakes, 56501

Detroit Lakes Minnesota 511 Washington Avenue 56501

2013-03-05 10:44:23

To the east of the Phoenix metropolitan area, a rugged national forest starts within ear shot of the major streets of Apache Junction. Within a ten-minute drive, one's chief concern can change from crime to cougars.

Advertisement

Advertisement

The Superstition Wilderness is a massive, rock-strewn wasteland with only one road for motorized vehicles. It is a heaven for hikers.

After studying a guidebook and looking over trails on Google Earth, I decided to attempt to climb Siphon Draw Trail up to nearby Flatiron peak, which towers over Apache Junction.

I parked at Lost Dutchman State Park, strapped up my little pack, which contained water, nutrition bars and a light jacket, and headed up the trail at a stately pace.

People passed me, sure, but I assumed that like the tale of the tortoise and the hare, I would stride by them later as they sat exhausted on a rock.

The climb started gently, but it was enough to get me winded. It felt good to be forging into the wilderness like Daniel Boone.

I came over a rise and, to my chagrin, there sat a house. In front of the house was a Cadillac Escalade, parked on the tar.

For crying out loud, I could have saved the first fifteen minutes of the hike by driving up to that house!

Only slightly miffed at the waste of time, I plowed forward.

"See you at the top!" a gentleman chirped as he passed me.

The trail steepened as the loose alluvial rocks rose up to meet the cliffs from which they had fallen. Steps were cut in the trail. My breathing was getting deeper.

The sun hit an enormous red cliff to my left. The cliff was so featureless that this prairie dweller, untrained in things vertical which aren't elevators or water towers, couldn't tell whether it rose fifty or five hundred feet.

By assuming the giant saguaro at the base of the rock were 30 feet tall, I eventually calculated that the rock itself was over 750 feet high. Wow.

Now the climb required me to walk sideways on slanted rock. I was glad that my running shoes had good grip.

In the shade of the canyon, the temperature dropped thirty degrees. I put on my jacket.